Chapter 31

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: Middle School Girls' Nerve War (2)

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"...She'd make a great doctor, huh. Ha, what hospital? She'd probably smash up people's faces like her dad and end up with solo protests out front. Trash bitch."

Lee A-ram's heartfelt pad lip punch.

I thought I'd misheard for a second.

"...".

Ever since my Physique stat went up recently.

I could hear every damn mutter from everyone around me, and it was a real pain when I was trying to focus.

She's gotta be friendless, our A-ram. Muttering to herself like that, just like I do.

I mutter to myself a lot since I don't have friends either. It's a hobby.

I get the feeling all too well.

So, just ignore it and sleep.

That's what I decided, closing my eyes again to try and doze off.

A short nap clears the head when I can't concentrate.

Tak tak tak.

But the periodic shaking kept going.

Peeking with just my eyes while face-down, it was the PMP in Oh Deok-woo's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drawer rattling inside.

Oh Deok-woo wasn't jiggling his leg.

He'd been trembling from some kind of pressure coming from next to him since earlier.

"...Should I just dump it all on the class chat? Every bit of shit-talk she spewed behind her back about her body and everything. What kind of parents raise a kid like that? Daring to mess with my friend?"

Lee A-ram seemed furious at Park Ra-hele's presentation subtly dissing her friend Yu Eun-ha.

And the behind-the-scenes gossip from the Park Ra-he group.

She seemed like a loyal middle school girl fiercely defending her friend.

"...No, her parents are the ones I feel sorry for. How much they must've cherished their daughter, not knowing she's grown into such a trash personality."

But it felt like she just hated Park Ra-he even more than that.

Which made sense.

From the 1st round records I'd read, she'd been bullied by Park Ra-he back in elementary school.

Of course, Lee A-ram hadn't just taken it lying down.

She'd gotten some revenge with every dirty trick an elementary kid could pull.

That experience was probably why she could coincidentally save me from the enemy in the 1st round.

"...Ah, her parents are probably the same. That's why she turned out like that. No wonder adults say you can tell the parents by looking at the kid."

Compared to Park Ra-he, she was a total saint to me during CA time.

She told me to drop dead split in half, but at least no pad lips aimed at me.

Anyway, Lee A-ram would be banned in games for sure.

Chat ban immediate, maybe even sued for malicious comments.

One thing's certain: never team up with randos when she plays LoL.

Search "Amu-mu pad lip" online if you don't get it.

Sure enough, it popped up.

Srulk.

But I didn't accept the quest and just face-planted again.

Fix her bad mood? How the hell do I clear that?

Go curse out Park Ra-he right now?

That'd probably fail.

Pass.

Of course, it's not like there's no way to clear it.

Honestly, it's just a hassle.

Guys meddling in girls' business usually makes it worse.

Not like "no men in the kitchen" or anything.

Never experienced it myself, but I'd seen it a few times in 1st round school.

—Two girls fighting, guy jumps in to mediate.

—Turns out the guy was the reason they were fighting.

Classic love triangle stuff from light novels.

Normally, when girls both like the same guy, they band together tighter.

Like this:

—Huh, what? XX oppa asked you to eat too?

—Really? You too? He told me to watch a movie together...

—Wow, that oppa's total trash.

That's real life.

The light novel catfight over one guy is rare.

They strengthen their friendship instead.

Unless the guy's a total stud inssa.

Then it's "vixen tricks" instead of friendship.

Friendship shattered.

What about guys?

Same deal.

Men and women aren't that different.

The difference? Guys end up friends again later.

They didn't really care about the girl anyway.

For real! Not even a speck!

They weren't even thinking about hitting it.

Just two dudes sipping kimchi soup, sad haha moment.

Love's complicated.

Not my story, my friend's friend's, remember that.

What I'm saying is:

Never seen a guy meddle in girls' drama and come out on top.

Ends up the common enemy.

"Yawn~"

With those useless thoughts, I focused hard and tried to sleep.

Her mutters started sounding like a lullaby.

Suddenly, a chill right in front of me.

Even with eyes closed, something dark swirled in front of my retinas.

For real.

Looking around, everyone else was fine.

Guess it's just me with the status window seeing and feeling this.

...Life's fun, huh.

"Yawn... mmm... zzz..."

Still pretending to sleep, not moving a muscle.

Mumbling softly.

"Gotta be at least 3 points... mmm... worth it then..."

Oh?

This thing's bargaining?

"Snooore..."

Pretended to snore.

This cold's nothing to me.

Slept shivering on the lab floor in winter with AC blasting.

Most grad students have that skill.

It caved to me eventually.

That moment.

Snap!

I shot up.

"Hey."

Talked to Lee A-ram.

"You ragged on me for muttering during the movie, but now you're doing it?"

"...?!"

She jolted in surprise.

"...I-I didn't say anything?"

Stammering uncharacteristically, playing innocent.

That confirmed it.

"It's fine. Only I heard. Good ears, y'know."

"...".

Lee A-ram turned away silently, showing me just her long straight hair.

Length that'd get her in trouble at foot inspection later.

Wonder if her flushed face is under that blackout curtain hair.

Anyway,

"Something wrong?"

I nodded toward where she'd been glaring.

"That's Park Ra-he you were talking about? The one without M.E. or A.B.?"

"...M and E? AB? Oh."

My massive aggro got a reaction, then realization.

She sighed softly, giving up the act.

"...How good are your ears? And I didn't say that much."

Eventually, she grumbled but spilled the story.

Most I already knew from her 1st round records.

New bit: Park Ra-he bragged about med school like that but surprisingly studies well.

"That's why I hate doctors."

And she personally disliked doctors.

"Yeah, med students are like that mostly."

I agreed first.

Empathy starts conversations.

"Not all, but top med students are smart and decent. It's the mid-tier ones who act like that."

"What, you know a lot?"

"Friend's friend's sister's friend is a med student."

"...That's basically a dude?"

I got no friends or sisters, but anyway.

My words have credibility.

Straight from a med student.

KAIST 1st years in undeclared math run a freshman camp.

Two went to med school later.

One assa.

One inssa.

Both assa in society, though.

In KAIST full of assa, hierarchies form.

Especially since all assa in middle school, spending 10 years in assa havens like gifted schools and KAIST.

The worst: "Thinks they're inssa" types.

Call 'em assa med student and inssa med student.

Assa med student was fine.

Great guy.

Seriously pondered cancer research early on.

Decided life sciences couldn't fulfill it.

Got into Kyungpook National med extension near home.

That assa med student: 4.0 GPA in hopeless life sci competition, smarter than ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me.

One year younger.

Treated ugly assa me same as others.

Before graduation, bought me cinnamon cordial black beer and fries at Eoeun-dong Pomfritz. Angel.

Practically my only real friend ever.

Inssa med student went to same Kyungpook.

Word was, textbook "mid-tier med student."

①Med schools pass handover files each practicum. He slacks but rags on others. Hypocrite.

②Studies like mad behind scenes, mocks hard workers: "Why live so hard?" Turns them into sore thumbs.

③Busy med school shares notes via note-taker. He can't/won't but forces it on others via mobbing.

Just top three.

KakaoTalk chats alone: dozens more.

Super money-obsessed too.

4th year internships picking departments? Amazingly vicious.

"Med school's the pinnacle of Korea's competition. Worst of the worst gather. Can't be helped."

I tweaked my KAIST tales for her.

"...".

Lee A-ram looked a bit annoyed.

"Can't be helped, sure."

Then glared a bit.

With firm resolve.

"But that's not right."

No waver in her eyes.

"...You don't know much, so maybe I'm shallow."

Not ignoring or brushing off.

She pondered deeply.

"Still, I hate the idea of trash like her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠getting into med school, becoming a doctor. Hate being treated by one."

Her conviction poured out.

"I'd rather die untreated."

Bit childish middle school grit.

"Doctors save lives."

But pure for it.

The romantic girl sharing dreams science hall corridor.

That image lingered.

I chuckled.

"Like a white guy suiciding without black blood transfusion."

"...What? Totally different—"

"I know. Just teasing 'cause you're cute."

"Wh-what...? What'd you say? Cute—"

Drurrk.

Stood up noisily.

Added last to her.

"Means you're right."

Looked around.

All eyes on me.

Lee A-ram stared up confused, no comeback.

Quest accepted.

Her righteousness was worth it.

"Uh... Kyung-jun? Something to say?"

Home ec teacher finally spoke, reading my name tag.

"Bathroom?"

I shook my head slowly.

"You said we can present when done?"

"Ah."

She got it.

"Of course. Kyung-jun, your turn?"

Short nod.

Paused dramatically, breathing in with all eyes.

Clear voice.

Loud enough for the giggling girls.

"Like Park Ra-he, I want to be a doctor too!"

Mouthed a future I hadn't thought about once.